#Gay bar detroit cleveland oh full#
Where are we going to be able to go to hear a spontaneous articulation of why professional wrestling is queer entertainment on the same night as an impassioned defense of why Captain Janeway on Star Trek Voyager is the most important character in the canon of captains? Where else can you debate the ethics of pursuing Harry Potter fandom post-2020 with a mouth full of french fries named after Futurama with someone you’ve just met who is crocheting a winter hat in between bites of a double cheeseburger named after the queer classic, But I’m a Cheerleader? Thanks to the queer visibility of the staff and the variety of queer friendly events, The Side Quest was frequently nominated for “Best Gay Bar” despite not actually advertising itself as a gay bar. The Side Quest wasn’t just a safe space for marginalized folks, it was a hostile environment for bigots who were quickly made aware that their presence was not appreciated. At one point, before the world became what it is, 100% of the hired staff at The Side Quest fell under the queer umbrella, with a majority falling under the trans umbrella or as a parent of a trans child. It’s where I fell in love with the love of my life, it’s where I found my Cleveland family as a Chicago import, and during the pre-vaccine era of the pandemic, it’s where my wife and I made our marriage legal.īecause The Side Quest was open to outsiders, it quickly became a place where LGBTQIA+ people felt safe to exist, which also meant it was a place where people felt safe to apply for work. I say “we” because I was fortunate enough to work at The Side Quest as a barback. Doctor Who is on tonight and we have priorities.
#Gay bar detroit cleveland oh tv#
No, the Browns game is not going to be on the big TV in the middle of the bar. Owned and operated by national treasures Sam Bridgeman and Kelly Quest, The Side Quest was created as a table-top board game bar, a safe haven for geeks and weirdos who never felt like they quite fit in with the more stereotypical Cleveland scene. The bathroom doors are labeled as gender neutral as state law would allow, and the graffiti on the inside opted for radical political statements or nerdy memes in lieu of your typical “for a good time call.” Next to the sink reads “STOP CALLING THE POLICE ON BLACK PEOPLE” and the hand towel graffiti called for trans rights.įor a lot of people in Northeast Ohio, The Side Quest was more than just a bar, it was home.